Flow barrel



Jan. 9, 1923..

W. G. RICKETTS. I

FLOW BARREL.

A Lib! FILED OCT. 21,1921.

ll utented qllunm h lEl. HUJPIKTIFJ, 01F Ulihllllllllti l, UKLA AND ONE-FOURTH T 355i. l ill'r El'llt BARREL.

Application filed October 21, 192i Flerial No. 509,362.

To all whom it may wnwm; li igure l is a iraginentarv side elevation 1, 7, I Be it known that l Warren trier litlUn: oi the improved flow barrel. n'r'rs, a citizen of the United States, and res l igure 2 is group view of a valve en1- ident of Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and bodied in theinvention, parts being shown 5 State oi Uklahoina, have invented certain. in section.

new and useful Improvements in ll low Bar-- Figure 3 a iragmentary side elevation rels, of which the 'llOllOWlllg is a speclhcaoi: the nnproved flow barrel applied, the Mon view beinp; taken at right angles to Figure 1 This invention relates to flow barrels espeand parts being shown in section. n cially adapted for use in oil Wells. gore 42 is a :lragnientary elevation of an Brieflv stated the improved :llow barrel inlet pipe of modified construction. Wag d ised as a means to increase the outa in the drawing wherein tor the purpose put from pumping wells and while the irnor illustration is shown the preferred emproved flow barrel is interposed in the tubbod inents oi the invention the numerals 5 15 ing, it is constructed entirely separate iroin .imgnatc three sections of a string of tubing th ki b d Hewever th improved iro'ugh which the oil and flow. The flow barrel assists the working barrel in improved flow barrel consists of upper and that it enables the Well to flow as it pulnps' lower couplings 6 and 7 respectively which and in that way rele Sing the dead weight have tl'ireaded engagement with the inter 2o of the column of oil in the tubing. The mediate sections 5 and with the outer secflow barrel is intended for use only in wells tions 5 and which provide, a means for conthat produce considerable gas with the oil nectinp; the several sections of the tubing 7 and is provided with means whereby to reillustrated The lower coupling 7 is prolieve the gas pockets in the oil column. lit vided with a laterally extend. 11g shoulder may be placed anywhere in the tubinp; or or PlOJhU'lJlOH 8 having threaded sockets for the Well so long as it is above the working the reception of oil and gas inlet pipes 9 barrel and beneath the level of the oil. in oi? which there are two in this case. The

actual practice when a well starts pumping oil and gas inlet pipes 9 may be provided the down stroke oi? the pumping jack forces with spaced apertures 10 as illustrated i so the column of oil in the bottom oi the tubliigur and 3 or with spaced slots 11 as ing up through the Working barrel and conillustrated in Figure 4-. tinues iii-this manner until the whole tubing The upper end of the inlet pipe 9 is proof the well isfilled with oil and it is forced vided with threads adapted for en moment to the surface into a tank or receptacle prowith the threads 12 o'l. a valve nut 13, the

as vided for the purpose. said valve nut 13 being provided with a seat Tn case considerable gas is in the well a 14.12 which coacts with the spherical valve 15. vacuum is created in the tubing and any A. valve casing 16 oi tubular formation has gas and oil that is on the outside of the tub-- its lower end threaded and adapted for enme would seek this vacuum it an opening nent with the interiorly threaded porao is created for its entrance. The improved tion l? of the valve nut 13 and is provided flow barrel is provided with novel n'ieans with an inwardly extending shoulder 18 of whereby the gas and oil on the outside of annular ilOTlllfllliOll tor ei'igaging an annular the tubing may enter the tubing' and thereshoulder 19 on, the upper portion oi? the by relieve the dead weight of: the oil and valve nut L32. I

a5 eliminate the gas pockets. The upper portion oil the valve casing 16 By the use of the improved flow billl'Ghlll is 1nter1 orly screw tin-ended as indicated at the tubing, the production is greatly 1nand isadapted tor threaded engagement creased and the uniform operation of the with the attaching portion 21 of a nipple or well is provided for. short length or plpe having a slotted ex- 50 lln the accompanying drawing ii'orniinp; a tens on k241i through which the oil passes upon part of this application and in which like leaving the vertrealchcclr valve. lVlth retnuroerals are employed to designate like erencc to Figure it will be observed that parts throughout the same, I i the lower end oi the slotted portion 24 1s closed so that the upward movement or the Valve 15 will not prevent the movement of the oil through the portion 24;.

The upper portion of the nipple 24 is adapted to receive a slip joint nipple 25 having threaded engagement with the bottom wall of a: by-pass chamber 26 tor-med on the coupling; 6. The chamb r 26 is formedthis way relieving the dead weight of the column of oil in the tubing.

Should there be gas pockets in the well the same may be eliminated by placing one or more of the flow barrels in the string of tubing at point or points where the gas pockets exist and pressure of the gas will elevate the ball valve 15 so that the will flow upwardly through the ing of tubing.

in actual. operation the improved flow barrel g; a-tly increases the production in a well that does not exhaust the oil by pumping 24 hours a day. The parts are interchangeable from one barrel to another of the same size and the improved flow barrel may be used with any pumping; barrel now in general use.

the average well which produces a considerable amount ot with the oil in the pumping will flow about every half hour due to the gas accumulating; sufficient pressure under the constant agitation by pumpin to force the whole column of oil, or a part of it up through the tubing. After the flow has taken place, the tubing will again fill with oil until the gas pressure is strong enough to cause another flow and this cycle will be repeated as long as the gas is present in sufficient quantities to exert this action.

WVhen a flow takes place as described above a vacuum is created in the tubing, causing an unequal pressure to be exerted on the outside of the tubing. lhe flow barrel being interposed in the lower part of the tubing provides a novel means for equalizinn this pressure and for allowing the oil and gas on the outside to pass up through the perforated or slotted pipe up through the ball and the seat check valves into the tubing to till this vacuum, and when this action is started the well does not repeat the flowing cycles but sprays oil and gas continuously. or at such short intervals as to appear continuous.

Tlie'principle upon which the flow barrel operates can be understood best by observing two pumping wells, one of which has the usual pumpingapparatus and the other one equipped with a flow barrel in addition to the pumping; parts. (in opening the stop at the mouth of the first well, acolumn ol' will be seen issuing from the small pipe. or a column of gas and oil' it the well is making); a flow. In the second well-this column will consist of both oil and gas in the form of a steady spray coming at such short intervals as to seem continuous.

As a result oi this continuous flowing action set up in the we the tubing does not fill up with oil as it did and the rods and other pum p equipment are not subjected to a irregular working; load, thereby relicsngthem of a certain portion of this res... .ant stir in which eliminates an appreciable percentage of breakage to rods and the splitting; ot tubing due to pressure in, opera. ion the improved flow barrel is interposed in a tubing; 10 or 2) above the pumping barrel depending upon the fluid level and other conditions in the well and by allowing; the nus to enter the tubing; from the casing the movement of the oil up throiurh the well. is pjreatly 'l'ucilitated. That is to say the admission of the gas into the tubing; assists the flowing oi the oil up through the tubing without the strain ordinarily present on the working): parts of a well as a result ot equalizing the pressure on the various parts.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A flow barrel comprising a coupling adapted to be interposed in a string of? tubing, an inlet pipe connected at one end to the coupling and having a plurality of inlet openings to receive the gas and oil exteriorly oi the tubing, said coupling being formed with a by-pass establishing communication between the pipe and the string of tubing, whereby the gas and oil exteriorly of the tubing may flow through the pipe into the tubing, and means to firmly attach the other end of the pipe to the tubing and to close the same.

2. The combination with a string of tubing of couplings interposed. therein, an inlet pipe connected to said couplings, and having); gas inlet openings and-a check valve controlling the flow of gas through said inlet pipe, one of said couplings being provided with a bypass having connnumcation with said inlet pipe.

3. The combination with a string of tubing, of couplings interposed therein inlet pipes connected to said couplings, and having their lower ends closed and a check valve arranged in said inlet pipes, one of said couplings being provided with a bypass having; comu'iunication with said inlet pipes, said inlet pipes being provided. with openings through which the fluid passes.

a. The combination with a string of tuboil upper and lower couplings interposed in said string oi tubing, the lower coupling being provided with a laterally extending shoulder having blind sockets, inlet pipes threaded. into said sockets and having openings toreceive the gas exteriorly of the tubing, valve nuts threaded on said inlet pipes and having valve seats, valves mounted on said seats, valve cages threaded on said nuts, nipples having threaded engageinent with said valve cages, and a slip joint coupling connected, to the upper coupling.

5. The combination with a string of tubing, of upper and lower couplings interposed in said string of tubing, the lower coupling being provided witha laterally extending shoulder, inlet pipes threaded into said shoulders and closed thereby, said pipes being provided with openings to receive the gas exterior-1y oi? the tubing, valve nuts threaded on said inlet pipesand having valve seats, valves mounted on said seats, valve cages threaded on said nuts, nipples having threaded engagement with said valve cages, a slip joint coupling connected to the upper coupling, said upper coupling being provided with a bypass in communication with said inlet pipes.

6. A flow barrel for oil Wells comprising couplings adapted to be interposed in a string of tubing, an inlet pipe connected to said couplings and'having its lower portion closed by one of said. couplings, the

other coupling being formed with a bypass establishing communication between the pipe and the tubing, said pipe being pro-- vided with openings whereby the gas exteriorly of the tubing may flow through the pipe and into the tubing.

7. A iilow barrel for oil wells comprising couplings adapted to be interposed in a string of tubing, an inlet pipe connected to said couplings and having its lower portion closed by one of said couplings, the other coupling being formed with a by-pass establishing communication between the pipe and the tubing, said pipe being provided with openings whereby the gas ex teriorly of the tubing inay flow through the pipe and into the tubing, and a one-way valve interposed in said pipe.

8. It How barrel comprising a coupling adapted to be arranged in string of tubing, an inlet pipe connected at one end to the coupling and having a plurality of inlet openings to receive the gas and oil exteriorly 0t thetubing, said coupling being formed with a bypass establishing communication between the pipe and. the string oi tubing whereby the gas and oil e-xteriorly of the tubing may tlow throug the pipe into the tub ng, a one-way valve for ad mltt ng the gas and oil to said by-pass, and means to attach the other end of the pipe to the tubing and to close the same.

' wanrnn enir iaronn'rrs. 

